I. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of automotive safety restraint methods and devices. The invention is more particularly directed to safety restraint methods and devices for animals when being transported in automotive vehicles. The invention even more particularly relates to a harness method and apparatus incorporating means to be held by various types of automotive seat belts as well as a special form of belt for installation in the rear or "bed" portion of pickup trucks.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There have been some attempts to provide restraints of one type or another for use in automotive vehicles to restrain the activity of dogs, cats, and other animals when carried in an automotive vehicle either on a seat or in the rear of pickup trucks. The devices heretofore attempted have normally consisted of leashes with hooks or the like which can be hooked to a portion of the vehicle, particularly to the bed of a pickup truck.
The devices previously used are, if anything, more dangerous than having no restraint, since a dog or other animal wearing one could be thrown from the vehicle and dragged or could suffer other physical injury by reason of the nature of these devices.
The present invention involves a harness with loops under the chest and formed to the rear over the back of the animal in such manner that these loops can be held properly by conventional seat belts in automobiles or by a special strap mounted in the beds of pickup trucks. Up to this time there has been no such device that has these special loops of webbing or the like which can be engaged by ordinary seat belts in such manner as to hold an animal in a comfortable seated or reclining position. In this respect there is no prior art.